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Manchester Unity Building
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Manchester Unity Building
The Manchester Unity Building is an Art Deco Gothic inspired office and retail building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, constructed in 1931–32 for the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows. The soaring stepped corner tower on a prominent intersection opposite the Melbourne Town Hall makes it one of the most prominent and best known buildings in Melbourne.
The site, on the north-west corner of the intersection of Collins and Swanston Streets, was purchased by the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (MUIOOF) in 1928, reportedly for the sum of £250,000. Construction could not commence immediately however since the lease of the business in the existing building did not expire until the end of 1931. By that time the full effects of the Great Depression were being felt, but the Directors decided to press ahead because all the preparations had been made, and, being a benevolent society, felt it was important to show confidence that the economy would improve, and also to provide a source of employment. Architect Marcus Barlow designed the building, which was built by W E Cooper Pty Ltd, contracted for the price of £215,000. Construction commenced at midnight on 1 January 1932 with the demolition of the prior buildings on the site, and proceeded around the clock in eight-hour shifts.
For the first time in Australia a construction progress schedule was used to track and manage the construction of the building:
Upon [the schedule graph] is shown the progress of every section of the building as it must go forward... the exact time in which the excavation must be completed, when the escalators will be completed, and when the external painting will be finished... Progress payments to the builders are made upon the architects' certificate that the work is going forward to schedule.
Such was the speed of construction that in May the basement and ground floor arcade were structurally complete and ready to be fitted out, and by the end of July the roof had been laid, floors having been added at the rate of one a week on average. The shopping areas in the ground floor arcade, the basement and on the first floor were opened on 1 September, with a full page spread in The Argus describing the building in glowing terms, and advertising various suppliers, contractors, the shops and the Society.
The design included figures depicting 'Faith. Hope and Charity' above the oriel windows on each facade at the fifth floor, sculpted by Orlando Dutton. The ground level included an L shaped arcade connecting Collins to Swanston Street, and into the rear lane, and opening out to form the lift lobby. The arcade is richly finished in coloured marble, with copper shopfronts, and a larger cornice with panels depicting the activities of the society, as well as view of 'old melbourne', and the building itself. The lifts have elaborate copper doors, and veneered timber interiors with a leadlight dome. The design included the first escalators in Melbourne, connecting the ground level arcade with further shopfronts at the first floor, and with the basement shop, the latter since removed.
A dinner for several hundred guests was held on 12 December 1932 in the building's basement to celebrate its opening, with Sir Stanley Argyle, the Premier of Victoria, giving a speech. On declaring the building open, Argyle pressed a button which turned on, for the first time, the lights illuminating the tower and spire.
As well as numerous shops in the basement, ground and first floor, there was a rooftop restaurant. This was not a successful venture and soon closed.[citation needed]
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Manchester Unity Building AI simulator
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Manchester Unity Building
The Manchester Unity Building is an Art Deco Gothic inspired office and retail building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, constructed in 1931–32 for the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows. The soaring stepped corner tower on a prominent intersection opposite the Melbourne Town Hall makes it one of the most prominent and best known buildings in Melbourne.
The site, on the north-west corner of the intersection of Collins and Swanston Streets, was purchased by the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (MUIOOF) in 1928, reportedly for the sum of £250,000. Construction could not commence immediately however since the lease of the business in the existing building did not expire until the end of 1931. By that time the full effects of the Great Depression were being felt, but the Directors decided to press ahead because all the preparations had been made, and, being a benevolent society, felt it was important to show confidence that the economy would improve, and also to provide a source of employment. Architect Marcus Barlow designed the building, which was built by W E Cooper Pty Ltd, contracted for the price of £215,000. Construction commenced at midnight on 1 January 1932 with the demolition of the prior buildings on the site, and proceeded around the clock in eight-hour shifts.
For the first time in Australia a construction progress schedule was used to track and manage the construction of the building:
Upon [the schedule graph] is shown the progress of every section of the building as it must go forward... the exact time in which the excavation must be completed, when the escalators will be completed, and when the external painting will be finished... Progress payments to the builders are made upon the architects' certificate that the work is going forward to schedule.
Such was the speed of construction that in May the basement and ground floor arcade were structurally complete and ready to be fitted out, and by the end of July the roof had been laid, floors having been added at the rate of one a week on average. The shopping areas in the ground floor arcade, the basement and on the first floor were opened on 1 September, with a full page spread in The Argus describing the building in glowing terms, and advertising various suppliers, contractors, the shops and the Society.
The design included figures depicting 'Faith. Hope and Charity' above the oriel windows on each facade at the fifth floor, sculpted by Orlando Dutton. The ground level included an L shaped arcade connecting Collins to Swanston Street, and into the rear lane, and opening out to form the lift lobby. The arcade is richly finished in coloured marble, with copper shopfronts, and a larger cornice with panels depicting the activities of the society, as well as view of 'old melbourne', and the building itself. The lifts have elaborate copper doors, and veneered timber interiors with a leadlight dome. The design included the first escalators in Melbourne, connecting the ground level arcade with further shopfronts at the first floor, and with the basement shop, the latter since removed.
A dinner for several hundred guests was held on 12 December 1932 in the building's basement to celebrate its opening, with Sir Stanley Argyle, the Premier of Victoria, giving a speech. On declaring the building open, Argyle pressed a button which turned on, for the first time, the lights illuminating the tower and spire.
As well as numerous shops in the basement, ground and first floor, there was a rooftop restaurant. This was not a successful venture and soon closed.[citation needed]
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